by Riva Zmajoki
“All of this for a woman? I would like to meet that woman before whom men like you tremble.”
Josephine was now satisfied with her life of lies, words came easily of her tongue.
“No, you wouldn’t,” he frowned deeper. “That is if you, yourself aren’t disturbed and corrupted, which could be deducted from your servants and their deep sense of guilt. You had a guest, she left abruptly?”
“There was a misunderstanding,” Josephine said coldly. “She became endlessly bored. You know how the young people are, just like you, eager and quick to judge old and tired women.”
Luiz went stiff, to be young wasn’t quality in his line of work.
“I have no time for this circus, why are you here?” she said impatiently.
“You have no time?” he entwined his fingers in his lap. “A woman like you, the one without a husband, what does she has to do here all alone?”
“My needlework,” she said annoyed. “That is my passion. It calms nerves you could try it.”
“Don’t toy with me,” he was angry now.
“This one behind you I made after my husband died. I found a painting among his private things. It was probably a heritage. I made it better.”
On the wall hung an embroidery of a naked woman in a lavish position. Josephine made the painting under it better covering it with colourful threads.
Luiz didn’t turn back to look. He obviously had time to take a good measure of the picture. Surely, he noticed the rest of Josephine’s collection of naked girls. The paintings of them she really did inherit from her husband. The only difference was that the paintings beneath her threads were more modest and more sinister than what she would put above it. Their men lurked in the dark on the white unprotected virgins.
Josephine covered the men with branches and rocks removing the threat of their presence from the scene. Sometimes women of different shape and sizes would stand in their place. Some of those women could be recognized but rarely anyone dared to notice that.
“Look,” Luiz said gently and snapped Josephine from her daydream. “The woman in question is armed and dangerous. I do understand if you helped her out of fear but we are here now, she can’t hurt you anymore.”
Josephine got enraged by his patronizing tone.
“What kind of a woman? What are those nonsense assumptions?”
“Through the first checkpoint, you crossed without a woman. On the second checkpoint, she was with you. I’m late only because I failed to notice that discrepancy on time.”
“I don’t understand how he managed to miss the pregnant Sue,” Josephine waved it off. “Maybe he was mesmerized by the broad chest of my Major-Domo.”
“Not everyone is perverse as you are,” he jumped up to his feet. “Show me that secret room of yours. Surely, that is the place where you still are hiding the fugitive.”
“A secret room?” Josephine feigned surprise.
“Yes, the room in which no one entered since your husband died,” he leaned in Josephine’s face.
“You surely think of my boudoir. Come and inspect it, Marshal,” she gestured to him to follow her.
He stood there a few seconds more but finally moved and let her lead.
“If you don’t mind I would prefer if your henchmen stayed behind. I value my privacy,” she stopped when his men tried to follow them.
“Obviously,” he grumbled but showed his men to stay put.
As soon as he entered her room, he threw himself on the crumpled sheets in the corner. The ones which Josephine sadly didn’t give out to be washed.
“Blood!” he exclaimed triumphal. “We did injure the fugitive.”
“And other people don’t bleed, sir?” she snorted.
“Two cups on the table. Tell me, where is she, why are you stalling?”
Josephine sat on the edge of her marvellously crumpled bed. She was a bit sad that she didn’t tie it up, that she didn’t hide the traces of love from his ugly greedy eyes, but who could predict the future. Surely she couldn’t. She wouldn’t predict that Belva will give herself to Josephine so joyfully, without any shred of shame or hesitance. Josephine never experienced anything like it. Without conscious thought, she caressed the sheet forgetting about her company.
“Don’t even try that with me,” he said sharply reminding her that he was still standing there, waiting for her to speak.
“What?” she was honestly surprised.
“Don’t bother, you can’t seduce me,” he said proudly.
Josephine looked at him baffled. It took her a moment to process his train of thoughts. When she finally understood she laughed out loud, her belly trembled as she laughed. To seduce a man would be so stupid. There was no need for seducing, all it took was to undress. They don’t have a woman’s shame, woman’s barriers put before their chastity.
His eyes were stabbing her with rage.
“You need a good man to set you right,” he stormed at her.
In a split of a second, she considered the option of letting go, of just letting him win. She did that before to derail them. They would always leave to be afterwards when they would establish their dominance and masculinity, but today wasn’t a day for such political manoeuvres. Not today, not after Belva touched her. She couldn’t bear to put anything over her imprints on her skin. That wasn’t something Josephine could stand.
Luiz lifted her skirt and she finally knew the purpose of Belva’s gift. It was to repel abusers. Josephine smiled sweetly and lifted her thigh. On the sound of the trigger, he went stiff and still. Of course, he knew the sound well. Surely, he knew the type of pistol she was holding under her skirt just by the sound.
“You wouldn’t dare,” his voice trembled.
“Maybe,” she said softly, “but you never know, after all, I am just one twisted woman.”
Luiz backed away slowly, she didn’t let go of the trigger.
“You could hand for murder,” he reminded her keeping his hands where she could see them.
“But I would never kill you, my aim is set much lower.”
To that thought, Luiz went completely pale. Josephine knew where they could be hurt. That was a point of interest for her.
“You wouldn’t like that,” he said weakly. “Not for real, all that blood and mess on your carpet.”
“True,” she sighed deciding that now is a good moment to lie. “I would hate to hurt my leg again. You know, the barrel, when you shoot it, gets really hot. If I don’t remove it instantly it gets glued to my skin,” that was an image she won’t easily forget, her husband once had a hidden gun in a duel, he wasn’t a man to take risks. “There is blood as you remove it from the flesh.”
“You fired at…”
“I practised,” she interrupted his thought.
“Practiced,” he blinked as he tried to accept the insinuation.
“On apples,” she added to paint a picture.
“You value your safety,” he said slowly.
“As I said. A woman on her own must learn to protect herself. I much rather use rumours than force, but the force is a useful tool when nothing else remains.”
“I didn’t think, not for real,” he started. “I just wanted to…” his words didn’t flow, the top of the barrel drew his attention.
“Of course,” she moved her leg to a stable position. “Now tell me, why you don’t believe me that the first guard just overlooked Sue in the carriage. I bet that the other one didn’t even mention my Major-Domo,” she bluffed remembering how stiff and unmovable the Major-Domo was before her pistol.
The young guard didn’t have time to see anything but Josephine anyway.
“He didn’t mention him, but he’s here to vouch for his whereabouts.”
“Well, Sue is here as well,” she frowned not understanding, Major-Domo instructed her to lie, surely even she can do that.
“Stop it already, you don’t have a pregnant maid.”
“How do you mean that I don’t?” she got up angrily forgetti
ng of her aim.
Josephine rang the bell not waiting for his permission.
“Don’t even try to fool me.”
“I’m here, listen to everything they say to me,” she said impatiently.
The Major-Domo got in the room angry. The two patrolmen followed him ready to grab him.
“Where is Sue?” Josephine attacked him.
“She disappeared,” he said flatly. “The rest of them are playing dumb, they are acting as she never was here.”
“Bring them all up here. Those idiot maids!” she was furious at them, to play like that before these men armed with pistols.
Josephine didn’t expect of them to be that stupid. Soon all three of them stood before Josephine with defiant expressions on their faces. Those faces told Josephine all that she needed to know about their behaviour. She had seen that kind of faces before.
“Tell me where Sue is,” she started mildly but they stayed silent. “You morons, do you think I would lay a finger on her? Do you think I’m interested in her swollen legs? I don’t care for her in any instance, why would I be interested in her pregnant. Are you mad? I was just worried about her child. Tell her that,” Josephine tried to calm her voice not to sound like she’ll whip them all to blood as her husband used to do. “I offered her help. Who does that to a pregnant woman in trouble? If you care for her,” Josephine got her voice under control. “Drag her in here because she won’t survive the child-birth out there alone. Who will take her like that?”
They looked at each other with worry and then just run struggling through the door.
“See, even the rumours can cost you your voice,” she felt like her voice broke.
“You really expect that they will produce you a pregnant woman on the spot?” Luiz said with disdain.
Major-Domo observed her boudoir with disgust. Josephine hated to see him here.
“Really,” he spoke up with disapproval in his voice. “You should let maids clean this,” he continued his eternal fight against her privacy. “You can’t do it yourself. Look at that bed. I don’t want to even think about the dust. All these men now think that I don’t know how to do my job.”
Major-Domo was truly miserable at the state of her space.
“And these sheets,” he grabbed the sheets from the corner, Luiz tried to stop him but Major-Domo didn’t even notice his attempt. “You bleed so badly?” he rose his voice at her. “There was a need for a doctor. I shouldn’t have listened to you. Why shame? It doesn’t become you,” he gathered all the sheets while Luiz just observed him frozen thinking, trying to find an angle to persist in his invasion of her home. “And these cups. I should have taken that out last night,” Major-Domo shook his head and took the platter and look at the cups disapprovingly. “Only you can get an idea to drink tea and coffee at the same time.”
Major-Domo was already talking more to himself than at them. He took all the evidence of Belva’s stay and Luiz didn’t stop him. He doubt was already deeply seeded in his mind. Two guards went after Major-Domo. They obviously thought of him as the main source of threat in this household full of women.
“You expect of me to believe in this show you put on for me?” Luiz gestured after Major-Domo.
“You have to excuse him,” Josephine sighed adjusting his face to an apology. “He is very sensitive about his job. I managed to take just one room out of his care and he just can’t let it go. He’s quite persistent.”
Josephine sat in Belva’s armchair and started to sort the needles and threads that she used, the bows she cut of that dress she’s wearing in her daring escape.
“Do sit down,” Josephine finally showed the other armchair.
Luiz observed the armchair as it is his enemy. With disdain, he turned his back to it and started to examine her boudoir. He was looking for traces of Belva. The only thing that Belva had left behind was under Josephine’s skirt and it gave Josephine courage.
Of course, Luiz looked under the sheet at the picture below. Then he completely unveiled the embroidery that Josephine rarely looked at.
“You are really a despicable lady,” he was appalled.
Josephine lifted her gaze to see him examining her work closely. The image wasn’t as decadent as he suggested. The naked woman lied on her back with her hair let down and her legs spread apart. Above her, there was Josephine with her face covered with her let down the hair. Josephine was on her hands and knees kissing the woman’s breast. Before Josephine intervened in the painting, the painting was much more disgusting. The lying woman wasn’t surrendered gently with her eyes closed but fearful and with strain in her muscles. The grinning man above her was more than endowed and not a small amount of scary. Luiz finally covered the image.
Josephine didn’t cover the painting for the image made by a thread, but for the one underneath. The one that Josephine made was made more as a comfort for the attacked girl, a happy ending, than as a proper passionate act.
“That thing before,” he said darkly. “That is just a part of the routine, it served the investigation.”
“Naturally,” said Josephine lightly. “So was my response.”
He pressed his hand into a fist. Josephine turned her thigh in his direction. They stood like that in silence, waiting for the next move.
Finally, there was noise before the door and soon the very pregnant Sue entered breathing heavily.
“You stupid girl,” Josephine scorned her. “You’ll get into labour prematurely. Why did you run?”
Sue looked at Luiz timidly. She stepped back before him.
“You took my dress,” she said on the verge of tears.
“The dress,” Luiz jumped towards her like a wild animal. “That must be for the fugitive, a disguise. What kind of a dress was it?”
“A grey ordinary one with white lace, black ribbons,” Sue stuttered.
Josephine covered her face trying to stifle her laughter. Blessed be Belva and her refined tasted.
“What are you laughing about?” Luiz shouted at her annoyed. “We will catch her. Where is the dress if you didn’t give it to the fugitive?”
Josephine wiped her tears that broke out of her eyes.
“On the chair,” she said pointing at the discarded dress. “Get it yourself.”
“Is this your dress?” Luiz charged at poor Sue.
“It is,” she said stepping backwards.
“Are you sure, are you absolutely sure. The maid uniforms are all the same,” Luiz insisted.
“Yes, look, it was widened. I did the adjustments myself so they’re quite clumsy made. See,” Sue took the dress from his hands showing the added material.
Luiz watched her for a few seconds then angrily threw the dress on the floor and moved away from her.
“Another dead end,” he growled shaking his fists.
‘Maybe a hidden end,’ Josephine thought to herself and got up to pick up the dress so she doesn’t have to look at Sue and her heavy bending.
“Why did you take it then?” Sue whispered looking terrified still.
“To fix it,” Josephine sat back in her armchair and took the ribbon from the top of the basket. “Your uniforms are hideous, I have to watch them constantly and with each passing day they seem more and more outdated. Surely, they can be a bit prettier.”
The sewing looked simple when Belva did it surely, Josephine could do it too. She was skilled enough with the needle and she will have a lot of extra time on her hands.
Over her needle, Josephine saw Luiz still standing there staring at her. He was dangerous as any man was, all angry and frustrated. It was best not to show them fear. They had means of punishing women outside of their law. He approached her menacingly. When he was just a step away he leaned in her face supporting his weight on the armrest of her armchair.
“I will go now,” he whispered angrily sounding like a snake he was. “But if any trace, any shred of evidence, points back this way I will return and drag you out of this house pulling you by your hair.”
Josephine just lifted her thigh lightly pressing his against his leg not looking at his face.
“I will be waiting,” she said and smiled without lifting her gaze.
Josephine didn’t want him to see the triumph in her eyes.
He jumped away from her appalled.
“You are one twisted corrupted woman,” he exclaimed with horror. “Repulsive and damned,” he marched out almost throwing Sue on the floor.
Sue managed to stay on her feet grabbing on the table beside her. Sue grabbed her heart looking like she’s in shock. Josephine let her hand fall to her lap feeling relief.
“I’m sorry,” Sue cried out. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to endanger you. I really thought…”
“Calm down,” Josephine lifted her hand to stop her drivelling. “You did great. More so you were excellent. Go and rest. You look ill. You shouldn’t exhaust yourself like that. I’ll tell Major-Domo to spare you from the hard tasks.”
“Thank you, mistress,” she bowed and flee her boudoir.
Josephine looked at the open door for some time not moving. The boudoir really did look like a lair of some secluded animal. She decided to let her servants clean it up, but the bed will be her own to tidy up. The hidden picture on the wall will go in the basement.
There will be no need for a hidden room anymore.
Josephine took the needle again thinking of the maid’s dress. Surely, there is a way to make it better.
After a while, she determined that she can’t make it prettier. The sewing was very different from her embroidery work. She gave up and decided to call upon a seamstress. While at it she could ask to make some of those more comfortable dresses for Josephine of which Belva talked about.
As Belva made her way through the corridor, she could see patrolmen crawling through the house. There was nothing she could do about them except to leave swiftly and not bring more danger to her lady.
She could hear Luiz’s voice through the thin walls made of panels so she moved slowly not to produce any sounds.
There was a temptation within her to stall, to wait, to see how her lady will handle them but the danger was too great. There was no proof of Belva’s passing, no one saw her. That was the advantage she can’t take away from her lady.
